If you are currently sleeping poorly, don’t freak out, as it’s a natural and normal reaction to stress and often resolves on its own.
Maintain a consistent wake time, getting up at the same time at least five days a week, as it’s the single most important structural input for entraining your internal biological circadian rhythm.
Do not compensate for a bad night’s sleep by sleeping in later, going to bed earlier, or napping, as this disrupts your internal sleep regulation and makes future sleep problems more likely.
If you wake up in the middle of the night and can’t get back to sleep within a reasonable time, get out of bed, go to another room, do something relaxing, and return to bed only when sleepy to avoid associating your bed with worry.
Transition to lower light levels and quieter, more relaxing activities at least an hour or two before bedtime to prepare your body for sleep, avoiding work or stressful calls.
Keep your bedroom as dark as possible, using sleep masks or room-darkening shades, to prevent early light exposure from disrupting your circadian rhythm and waking you prematurely.
Open curtains and expose yourself to as much natural light as possible first thing in the morning to entrain your circadian rhythm; if possible, get outside or sit by an open window.
Do not become overly fixated on your sleep, as trying too hard to sleep or worrying about it can undermine the natural process and perpetuate insomnia, since sleep is an automatic process you cannot force.
If insomnia persists beyond three months, seek assessment and targeted treatment from a behavioral sleep medicine specialist, as it often won’t resolve on its own, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) can be done via telehealth.
Do not use alcohol as a sleep aid, as it may initially cause drowsiness but ultimately leads to fragmented sleep and middle-of-the-night awakenings.
If you nap, do so for about 20 minutes, setting an alarm, ideally seven to nine hours after waking, to avoid sleep inertia and preserve night sleep; avoid naps if you foresee returning to a non-napping work schedule.
Determine your desired wake time, set an alarm to consistently wake up then, and back-time your bedtime based on your estimated sleep need, but don’t go to bed if you are not sleepy.
Maintain regular mealtimes, exercise times, and other daily activities to support circadian entrainment and overall sleep health, and stay active during the day to avoid lethargy.
Determine your individual sleep need by how you feel and function during the day (e.g., not tired, concentrating well), not by a fixed number like eight hours, as needs vary (typically between six and nine hours).
Avoid spending excessive time in bed beyond your actual sleep need, as this can lead to waking up in the middle of the night.
Download and activate blue light filters on electronic devices, especially in the evening, to reduce blue light exposure that can disrupt circadian rhythm; if awake at night, use devices at a distance from your eyes.
If considering sleep medication, opt for prescription medications designed for sleep, use them for short-term problems, and have a clear cutoff point under a physician’s guidance, as they are not intended for long-term use.
Avoid over-the-counter sleep aids (often antihistamines), as they are generally not very useful or helpful for sleep and are not recommended for chronic use.
Do not use marijuana as a long-term solution for sleep, as it functions similarly to other sleeping pills and can lead to tolerance and withdrawal issues when used solely as a sleep aid.
If you struggle with delaying bedtime (e.g., doom scrolling), set an alarm on your phone for when you intend to start getting ready for bed to help transition into your wind-down routine.
Consistently wake up at your set time, even after a late night, as experiencing the daytime consequences (e.g., exhaustion) can strongly disincentivize future late bedtimes.
Insomnia can be diagnosed and treated behaviorally without a sleep study unless other underlying medical sleep disorders (like sleep apnea) are suspected.